Egg creme liqueurs live up to lively names

Phil Orlenko, founder of Philly’s Premium Beverages, with the model for his Naughty Dog Peanut Butter Egg Crème Liqueur. Wilbur is a rescue dog from a nearby shelter who also provides “security” at company headquarters in Grafton.(Photo: Submitted)

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On first glance, there seems to be a bit of contradiction when it comes to Philly's Premium Beverage.

Despite having the word "premium" in its name, its premixed old fashioneds are emblazoned with flamingo artwork. The egg creme liqueurs have names like Buzzed Beaver and artwork that includes a flying pink squirrel with flames emitting from its ... uh ... posterior.

"We try to separate ourselves with some snarky humor and colorful labels," said Phil Orlenko, owner and founder of Philly's Premium Beverages.

However, pick up a bottle of creme liqueur and it's clear Orlenko is serious about the word premium. This isn't a glass container that would shatter if smashed over someone's head like beer bottles in a movie scene. (Editor's note: Don't ever hit anyone on the head with any glass bottle. That's dangerous.)

The base recipe for Philly’s egg creme liqueurs is manufactured by the Galloway Co. in Neenah.(Photo: Submitted)

Philly's provides recipes to make 32 concoctions for home mixologists, including the pudding route. Using your favorite instant pudding, replace half the milk with any of the egg creme liqueurs.

Having been in sales for 25 years before finding himself unemployed at age 53, Orlenko found the prospect of getting back into the traditional work force daunting. As he was contemplating his next move, a friend provided a few words of wisdom.

"My friend said, 'Get off your ass and do something,'" Orlenko said.

That 'something' is Philly's Premium Beverages, a lineup of premixed old fashioneds (in the traditional combinations) and seven egg creme liqueurs.

“'It's Wisconsin eggs and Wisconsin cream mixed with booze. What more could you ask for?'”

Phil Orlenko

Mixing up drinks is a return to Orlenko's formative years. The Sheboygan native (he now calls Grafton home) says he began mixing old fashioneds for his dad at age 14 and he tended bar to pay for college.

While he drew on nearly 40 years of old fashioned mixing experience to develop his premix recipe, the base recipe for the egg creme liqueurs came from a friend in Oshkosh whom Orlenko will identify only as "Linda."

The identity of the graphic artist, known as Deep Pencil on the company's website, who creates the label artwork also remains a trade secret. In both cases, Orlenko says he's respecting their request for anonymity.

Before Orlenko was allowed to start developing the egg creme liqueur for retail sale, he needed Linda's approval. The base for the liqueurs is mixed by the Galloway Co. in Neenah.

"It's Wisconsin eggs and Wisconsin cream mixed with booze. What more could you ask for?" Orlenko said.

Getting to this point was not easy, especially financing the business. Orlenko liquidated his 401(k), "maxed out the credit cards," a small group of friends, family and neighbors bought shares of company and a childhood friend loaned him some money.

"The Port Washington State Bank gave me a line of credit once we had sales in 2015," Orlenko said.

Before getting his line of credit, he had been turned down by 16 banks. Next came getting the labels and flavors approved by the federal government.

"I had to argue with the feds that old fashioneds can be made with brandy, because it's a federally recognized cocktail," he said.

At one point, Orlenko resorted to sending newspaper clippings to regulators to prove that Wisconsinites make old fashioneds with brandy.

After 11 months of research and a steep learning curve, Philly's old fashioneds hit the shelves in November. Orlenko says he's sold 1,300 cases but the egg creme liqueurs have done even better. First available in January, Orlenko moved 1,500 cases of that product.

Next on Orlenko's to-do list is getting new customers to taste his mixes, which will be helped by growing distribution locations and getting people to sample his drinks. The recent change to the alcohol sampling laws in Wisconsin will also benefit Philly's.

Also, look for cans of old fashioned mix coming this summer.

Philly’s premixed old fashioneds will be available in cans this summer.(Photo: Submitted)

As to why flamingos appear on the labels, look no further than the plastic flamingos, including a skeleton and a zombie version, hanging out in his yard near the Milwaukee River. Most of them were deposited by friends and family.

"I have a flamboyance of plastic flamingos in my yard down by the river. They (friends and family) ring the doorbell and run and I see a new flamingo in the yard. It's kind of fun, I play along with it," he said. "I don't take life too seriously, if I did, I sure wouldn't be in this business."